Fire service told to improve in six areas

14 hours ago

Gemma Sherlock

BBC News, North East and Cumbria

The service has received mixed grading in its latest inspection

Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service The side of a red fire engine, with the emblem on that reads 'Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service'. The engine also has yellow and blue stripes and is parked inside a fire station. — The service has received mixed grading in its latest inspection

A fire service has been told to improve in six areas, a regulator has said.

HM Inspectorate has rated Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service good in five areas and requiring improvement in another six.

The service was previously rated inadequate at keeping the public safe due to management uncertainty - but the new report found it had improved in this area since David Allen, Cumbria's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, took over control.

He said he wanted to "assure the public" that the recommendations to improve were about "processes and back-office functions" and not the delivery of emergency services.

The regulator said it was "disappointing the service had "not made enough progress in other areas".

However, Mr Allen said: "Cumbria has a fantastic fire and rescue service that will always be there when needed in an emergency."

He said the areas needing improvement were not surprising as they had already been highlighted by the leadership team and "work had already started to move these concerns forward".

David Allen said the recommendations did not apply to the service's delivery of emergency services

Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service David Allen with short brown/grey hair, wearing a navy suit, white shirt and navy tie, stands outside of a brown brick building. — David Allen said the recommendations did not apply to the service's delivery of emergency services

The service was found to be good at understanding the risk of fire and other emergencies and protecting the public through fire regulations.

It also earned this rating for how it dealt with major and multi-agency incidents and making the service affordable now and in the future.

Areas that need to be improved include preventing fires, making best use of resources, promoting the right values and culture and getting people with the right skills, ensuring fairness and promoting diversity.

Lee Freeman, His Majesty's Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), said the service had "worked hard to consult the local community to build a comprehensive profile of risk".

However, he said he was disappointed with its IT services and recruitment processes.

The service has improved how it identifies risks, the fire inspectorate found

Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service A red fire engine, with yellow and blue stripes. It is parked in a fire station and on its right hand side it is open, revealing compartments filled with fire fighting equipment. — The service has improved how it identifies risks, the fire inspectorate found

The report recommended the reduction of staff in temporary roles and that appropriate training was given.

It also said the service "needs to do more to make sure its recruitment processes are accessible to applicants from a range of backgrounds and must improve its equality data".

This was the first inspection the service has received since governance responsibility transferred to the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner from Cumbria County Council in 2023.

Paul Hancock, Cumbria Chief Fire Officer, said: "We're proud of the areas rated as good which demonstrate the impact of our collective efforts.

"At the same time, we fully accept the areas for improvement identified in the report and are committed to taking swift and meaningful action."